Early Origins of the MacEwen family

The surname MacEwen was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they were first found in the barony of Otter, on the shores of Loch Fyne. The eponymous ancestor of the Clan is reputed to be Eoghain na h-Oitrich, also known as 'Ewen of Otter', who lived at the beginning of the 12th century. Clear records of the Clan were found in 1219, when Gilpatrik Mac Ewen measured the borders of his lands in Kynblathmund.

Early History of the MacEwen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacEwen research.Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1174 and 1219 are included under the topic Early MacEwen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacEwen Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name MacEwen include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include MacEwen, MacEwan, MacEwing, MacEuen, MacKewin, MacKewan, MacEòghainn (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the MacEwen family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early MacEwen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacEwen family to the New World and Oceana

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name MacEwen or a variant listed above:

MacEwen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John MacEwen, who landed in New London, Connecticut in 1811 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

James, John, Peter, Thomas, and Walter MacEwen all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Norman Duckworth Kerr MacEwen (1881-1953), senior commander in the Royal Air Force

Sir John MacEwen, Australian Farmer

Jock MacEwen, New Zealand Biologist

Ewen MacEwen, Engineer

Gwendolyn Margaret MacEwen (1941-1987), Canadian novelist and poet

The MacEwen Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

See Also

Citations

^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

^ The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html